Too Much to Say
by PhantomVarg
Summary: SmellershotLongerbee After the events of Lake Laogai, Longshot and Smellerbee finally have a moment of peace. A question is asked, and feelings are shared. Written for a contest on DeviantArt, based off of a fancomic. More info inside.


_This is a one-shot Avatar fanfic for the PFF contest. Never heard of PFF? Well, you should! "Plight of the Freedom Fighters" is an AMAZING fan comic drawn and written by the equally AMAZING Sioute of DevianArt. It depicts her take on what may have happened to Jet, Longshot, and Smellerbee after Lake Laogai._

_I suggest you read it! Not only will it help you understand this little piece of mine, but it's defiantly a must-see if you're an Avatar fan. And, if you're a rabid Freedom Fighter fan, then you're in for 60 pages of pure foam-at-the-mouth joyness! _

Avatar (c) Mike and Bryan/Viacom

PFF storyline (c) sioute . deviantart . com

--

"Is he asleep?"

Longshot looked over at the young man across the room, propped up against the wall. Jet's arms were folded casually over his bandaged chest, head bowed, his wild hair hanging just over his closed eyes. His steady and gentle breathing confirmed that the leader of the Freedom Fighters had fallen into slumber at last.

Longshot glanced back at Smellerbee, nodding silently. She looked relieved.

"Oh, good," she said. "He needs more rest, anyway."

Longshot nodded again- his silent trademark. Taking a seat beside Smellerbee, he took off his hat, and placed his bow on the floor beside him. Then he leaned against the wall and shut his eyes. Bee was right. Even though Jet had been saved by Kamome, a Waterbending Healer, he was still weak and very sore. And the fact that he, in his stubbornness, had persuaded his friends that he was well enough to walk halfway across the lower ring of Ba Sing Se; all the way back to their small apartment didn't help his condition either. By they time they were halfway there, Jet's steps had slowed considerably. Every so often he would place a hand on his bandages and groan, but he would quickly stop and act as if he was feeling fine whenever Longshot or Smellerbee gave him concerned looks.

When they finally reached their "home" (it never truly felt like a home to them), Jet staggered inside and, grateful for the chance to relax, immediately sat on his bedroll, and leaned against the wall. Longshot started a meager fire in the small fire pit at the back of the room, providing them with some light and warmth.

Now it was nearly an hour later. The flames were starting to die down. The moon, now at it's height as midnight approached, lit up the room where the weak firelight could not reach. Silence had descended upon the two companions as their leader slept; they did not say another word to one another as they became lost in their own thoughts.

Beneath his eyelids, Longshot felt fatigue creeping up on him, slowly wrapping him in sweet unconsciousness. Images that were not dreams quite yet, flickered before his mind's eye…

"Longshot?"

"Hmm?" The young archer's eyes snapped open at the sound of Smellerbee's voice.

"I've been thinking…" She trailed off, poking at some glowing embers that had strayed from the center of the fire pit with her knife.

Longshot straightened up and looked at her carefully. "What is it?"

"Well… it's about what Jet said. Does he really think we can attack the Dai Li again?" Smellerbee turned her head, worryingly gazing at Jet's still form. "I don't think we should. Not yet, anyway."

"I don't think so, either." _With just three of us and with Jet in a bad condition we wouldn't have a chance. _He didn't want to upset her by saying it all. He let his eyes do the talking- Bee would know what he was saying.

Smellerbee gave a slight grin. "Heh. Yeah, I guess you're right. Jet would want some more recruits to join us first."

Longshot nodded in agreement and settled against the wall once more. He watched the flames of the fire slowly die as his eyes began to close again. He didn't notice that Smellerbee was watching him.

Although she had been overjoyed that Kamome had successfully healed the majority of Jet's injuries, Smellerbee could not help but feel a little troubled. True, she was still worried for Jet, but something else was nagging her: something a bit more… complicated.

Longshot had kissed her.

She snorted to herself- it was ridiculous! Her memory of that moment was cloudy. Smellerbee had a clear vision of everything that had happened right up until she had cleaned the blood off Longshot's face outside of the abandoned shack where they had sought refuge. She only just remembered falling asleep in his arms outside, and dreaming about something stupid (something about a giant mushroom). After that, she wasn't sure. It all seemed as crazy as a dream.

Smellerbee vaguely remembered muttering something to Longshot just before she gained awareness. Then she felt warm lips upon her own, and strong arms holding her in a gentle embrace. Two seconds later she was fully awake, but felt as if butterflies were twirling around in her stomach. She was still close beside Longshot, who was facing Kamome as she announced that she had done all she could for Jet. Longshot looked dazed as well, and his face looked a bit pink.

Since then, Smellerbee couldn't tell if he had really kissed her, or if it was just a dream. She had been distracted from thinking about it as they traveled back to the apartment. But now that were safe and resting at last, the thought of it returned, and it was bothering her more than it did before.

"Longshot…?" Smellerbee spoke before she could stop herself. The sound of her voice startled her. It sounded so unlike herself; it sounded as if she were scared,

Longshot opened his eyes sleepily. "Yeah?" he croaked.

"Did you kiss me?"

The question was so straightforward it woke Longshot instantly. His body became ridged and his eyes were as wide as a platypusbear's. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.

"Dang it, Longshot!" Smellerbee raised her voice suddenly, and Longshot recoiled as if she had socked him on the nose again. "You've been talking more than usual lately so don't you dare go quiet on me now!"

He stared at her for a moment, silently. Her light-brown eyes glared into his deeper-brown eyes. After a while he sighed in defeat. How could he not say anything about this?

"Yes…" came the response.

Smellerbee's stare softened at once. She was not expecting that to be the answer. "You… did?"

"'Bee, I-"

"But why?!" She was yelling now, suddenly unable able to control all the sudden anger and confusion flaring up inside her. "Why would you-"

But Longshot's voice remained soft and calm. "'Bee, let me explain-"

"But what were you thinking?!" Have you gone completely-"

"I love you!"

He stated it strongly, a fierce intensity filling his deep, dark eyes. Smellerbee gazed up at him, abruptly silenced. Her eyes were huge and her mouth was agape with shock.

"What…?" Her words, once so angry were now no more than a whimper.

Longshot sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the message was clear; _You heard me._

"No… no-no-no-no-no-no," she turned away from him, shifting her body so that she completely faced opposite from him. _That couldn't have happened. He could not have just said that…_

"'Bee…?" Longshot called her name, but got no reply. "'Bee, I'm sorry."

Smellerbee sniffed and moved her shoulders a little. Longshot felt like punching himself; he hadn't meant to upset her. The three of them already dealt with so much in these two short days, and Smellerbee had taken it all rather hard- especially Jet's helplessness. He stood, walked around her, and crouched in front of her. Her head was down, and she was hugging her knees close to her chest. Longshot thought he heard something like faint, stifled sobs from her. Sighing to himself, he reached out his arm and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he whispered apologetically. "C'mon, 'Bee, look at me…"

Smellerbee raised her head. Tears were streaming down her face, smudging the red war pain that adorned her cheeks. Her body shook and her lips pressed tightly together. He could tell she was fighting the urge to break down again. He was about to speak again but, Smellerbee began talking before he could.

"Why?" her voice sounded strained and confused. "I don't get it, Longshot. How could you like me? I'm… I'm…"

He looked at her benevolently, asking her to go on without words.

"… not pretty," she sniffled.

"Do you really think that?" Longshot smiled at her. "I don't."

"Don't be an idiot!" she exclaimed. Recently, they had taken a ferry ride in order to get to Ba Sing Se. They had shared a (stolen) meal with an old man and his teenaged nephew. The man had commented that Smellerbee's name was odd for a young man, not realizing that she was, in fact, a girl. Flustered, she had left the small gathering and stomped away. At least until Longshot had caught her, and, with one hard look, calmed her down and brought her back.

He was giving her that same look now.

Smellerbee stared up at him, feeling her tears receding. "Okay, I know… 'as long as I'm confident in who I am.' But it really bothers me sometimes! And when you said that you… It all flared up in my face again, and…"

She trailed off and fell silent, lowering her head shamefully. Longshot placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head. Their eyes met for a long moment. He wanted to tell her everything, absolutely everything that he had been feeling, but he couldn't.

"'Bee… words couldn't describe how much you mean to me." It was all he could get out. His heart was pounding a mile a minute, and he felt every drop of blood rush into his face...

Besides, there was just too much to say.

Smellerbee looked up at him, wiping away her tears with her sleeve. She stared at him for a moment, then flung herself into his arms. She hugged him tightly, as if he was her anchor to the world and, without him, she'd be swept away. And at that moment, she felt as if that would happen- that she'd be lost forever without Longshot to pull her back into the real world, back into his arms…

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I know I shouldn't be crying. But, I just feel so…"

Longshot wrapped his sturdy arms around her, holding her securely and as close to himself as he could. As if he was protecting her from the world. He stroked her back with his hand, remaining silent, letting his silence do all the talking.

_It's okay,' Bee. Everything will be okay._

On the other side of the room, unnoticed by Longshot and Smellerbee, the Freedom Fighter Leader let a sly smile form on his face, exposing his teeth and the long bade of grass he held between them.

Jet had cracked open his eyes just in time to see his two friends holding onto each other, sharing a single, soft kiss, before the fire ceased into nothing but smoke. The moonlight fell upon their faces as they smiled at one another, both looking content. They rested their heads together and stared into the night, waiting for sleep, which was not far away.

Jet closed his eyes again.

"'Bout time," he chuckled.

--

_Thank you for reading, and don't forget to leave a review. I hope you enjoyed it!_


End file.
